MANCHESTER — The Telegraph of Nashua will be honored next month with the Nackey S. Loeb First Amendment Award for its continuing series of stories focusing on just how accessible Nashua area government is to the public.

Judges chose the newspaper’s “Open Government Project” from a wide field of nominees submitted by the public, and in the Telegraph’s case, from two competing newspapers.

The newspaper will be recognized Tuesday, Nov. 12, at the 11th annual Nackey S. Loeb School of Communication’s First Amendment Awards at the Executive Court Conference Center in Manchester. Featured speaker for the luncheon event will be George Stephanopoulos of ABC News.

The award honors the First Amendment and those in New Hampshire who strive to exercise and protect the rights of free speech and free press.

Telegraph Publisher Greg Pohl called the honor “particularly gratifying because we were nominated by our peers at other New Hampshire newspapers. Like them, we work hard to uphold and defend the freedom of the press and principles of the First Amendment.”

The “Open Government Project” chronicles the often long and tedious process of obtaining public information from government officials. It has produced results. One Nashua commission changed its meeting times to be more convenient for the public, and the city has suspended meal purchases for public employees while policies about spending taxpayer money for food are reviewed. See more at nashuatelegraph.com/opengovernment.

The late Nackey S. Loeb was longtime publisher of the New Hampshire Union

Leader. She founded the nonprofit school of communications in 1999 to promote understanding and appreciation of the First Amendment and to foster interest, integrity and excellence in journalism and other forms of communication. More than 7,000 people have participated in the school’s free media-related classes, low-cost workshops and other events.

Tickets for the First Amendment Event are $50. They are available at loebschool.org. But Stephanopoulos has already proved to be a big draw for the little school.

The host of “Good Morning America” also presides over the network’s top political program, “This Week,” on Sundays.

Previous recipients have included attorneys, everyday citizens, other newspapers, and the Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire.

Presenting sponsor for the event is People’s United Bank. The luncheon program is also supported by a growing number of New Hampshire businesses and individuals, including PSNH; Amoskeag Beverages; U.S. Trust; AutoFair; Holloway Automotive Group; TD Charitable Foundation; Dean Kamen; Citizens Bank; Fallon Community Health Plan; The Dupont Group; Silvertech; Joseph and Signe McQuaid; Shaheen & Gordon, P.A.; Southern New Hampshire University; The Common Man Family of Restaurants; BAE Systems; Lincoln Financial; Live Free or Die Alliance; Charles Schwab.

Media partners are the New Hampshire Union Leader, WMUR-TV and WGIR radio.

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